Stall rest is a management practice used in equine care where a horse is confined to a stable or stall for a set period. This practice is typically implemented to facilitate recovery from injury, surgery, or illness by limiting the horse's movement. During stall rest, horses are often monitored closely to prevent complications such as muscle atrophy, joint stiffness, or behavioral issues resulting from reduced physical activity. Adjustments to feeding, bedding, and enrichment activities may be necessary to maintain the horse's physical and mental well-being. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the effects, management strategies, and outcomes associated with stall rest in horses.
Little C, Hilbert B.The clinical features of 19 horses with pelvic fractures were reviewed. The most common problem was a grade III or IV unilateral hind limb lameness. The prevalence of fractures was greater in females and horses less than 4 years old. All horses were treated with a combination of analgesic administration and stall rest for 2 to 6 months. Seven of 11 horses (64%) available for long-term follow-up evaluation recovered and 4 of 11 (36%) had no lameness when being ridden. Five of seven (71%) horses with fractures that involved the acetabulum recovered, and 4 (57%) had complete resolution of lamenes...
Bowman KF, Sweeney CL, Tate LP.A medial condylar fracture of the third metatarsal bone in a 2-year-old Thoroughbred filly was repaired successfully by use of compression bone plating. At discharge from the hospital, thickening of the metatarsus was evident, and proliferative changes were associated with the site of bone plate application. It was expected that these changes would limit the filly's use as a racehorse, and a return to training was not recommended. Especially in horses that may return to racing, use of compression bone plating initially should not replace stall rest or lag screw fixation treatment of this type ...
Magistrini M, Chanteloube P, Palmer E.In an attempt to define optimal season and ejaculation frequency for frozen semen, semen was collected from 6 stallions (3 horses and 3 ponies) 3 times per week or every day, alternating every week, for 1 year. The semen was evaluated and frozen. All the samples were thawed at the end of the experiment. At collection, fresh semen evaluations showed that winter (as opposed to spring and summer) was associated with low sexual behaviour, small volumes of spermatozoa and gel, high sperm concentration and lower motility. The high ejaculation frequency yielded a decreased volume, concentration of sp...
Heiskanen ML, Pirhonen A, Koskinen E, Mäenpää PH.The role of various environmental conditions on sperm motility and ATP content was investigated by incubating raw and washed spermatozoa collected with an open-ended artificial vagina from 10 stallions in various biological and artificial media under different atmospheric conditions. Spermatozoa did not survive for more than 12 h when kept unextended in the original seminal fluid in any circumstances. The most favourable media tested for long-term sperm survival were Kenney's medium or Kenney's medium supplemented with 10 mM-theophylline and 10 mM-Hepes, pH 7.2. Centrifugation and slow cooling...
Yovich JV, Aanes WA.A fracture of the caudal portion of the greater tubercle of the humerus was diagnosed in a 16-month-old Thoroughbred filly. Initially the fracture caused severe lameness. Radiography of the affected shoulder revealed the fracture fragment to be extra-articular, with a surrounding bony callus and no evidence of joint disease. After 5 weeks rest in a stall and 11 months at pasture, the filly was trained and raced without lameness.
Bailey JV, Barber SM, Fretz PB, Jacobs KA.The records of 13 horses of various breeds with subluxation of the radiocarpal, intercarpal or carpometacarpal joint, or combinations of these were reviewed. Subluxation was most common at the carpometacarpal joint (n = 10) and concomitant fractures of individual carpal bones or metacarpus II and IV were seen (n = 12).Treatment comprised of immobilization in a full leg plaster cast for from four to 18 weeks. Three animals were euthanized, two because of cast complications and one because of a request by the owner. The remaining ten were saved to function as breeding animals.
Fretz PB, Barber SM, Bailey JV, McKenzie NT.The case records of 49 horses with proximal sesamoid bone fracture were studied. The population consisted of 20 Thoroughbreds, 20 Standardbreds, 5 Quarter Horses, 2 Arabians, and 2 grade horses. The fractured bones were classified into 5 categories: apical fractures, basilar fractures, abaxial fractures, middle one-third fractures, and bilateral comminuted-distracted fractures. Apical fractures occurred most frequently in the Standardbred, with the prevalence of medial fracture being equal to that of lateral fracture. Basilar fractures occurred predominantly in the Thoroughbred, with the highe...
Donecker JM, Bramlage LR, Gabel AA.Twenty-nine fractures of the olecranon process of the ulna in horses treated at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine from 1973 through 1983 were evaluated. The objectives of the study were to determine the prognosis for various configurations of fractures of the olecranon process of the ulna, to determine what preoperative factors influenced the prognosis, and to evaluate the efficacy of the treatment methods used. The fractures were placed in one of 4 categories on the basis of severity of the injury: type-1 fractures involved the physeal plate; type-2 fractures involved t...
Bernard-Strother S, Mansmann RA, Beckstead C.A 6-month-old Quarter Horse colt, with severe left foreleg lameness of 6 weeks' duration, had swelling of the distal interphalangeal joint and a smaller-than-normal left front foot. Radiographs revealed a nondisplaced, midsagittal, intraarticular fracture of P3, which was treated with an eggbar shoe with 2 quarter clips, and stall rest for 10 weeks. The colt was sound after 10 weeks.
Dik KJ, Nemeth F.Six cases of patella fractures are reported. Three horses presented an avulsion fracture of the medial patellar angle. For a precise diagnosis of this fracture a radiographic skyline view was indispensable; lateral views were not diagnostic. One of these horses recovered after three months' rest but radiographically the fracture remained visible. One horse with a comminuted fracture recovered after five months' rest. A case with a contaminated longitudinal patella fracture was destroyed. The sixth horse had a chip fracture of the dorsomedial part of the patella. The outcome of this case is unk...
Tulleners EP, Donawick WJ.Infected abdominal incisions in 7 cattle and 3 horses were resutured with monofilamentous stainless steel retention sutures. After debridement of devitalized and infected tissue, wound edges were apposed with simple interrupted vertical (5 cattle, 3 horses) or horizontal (2 cattle) mattress sutures, placed through all layers of the body wall. Sutures were placed 2 to 3 cm apart over rubber tubing, 3 to 5 cm from wound edges. In 5 of the 10 operations, skin and subcutaneous tissue were left unsutured. The repaired wounds were supported with an encircling elastic roll bandage and sterile compres...
Hillman RB, Olar TT, Squires EL, Pickett BW.Stallion semen was collected, using artificial vaginas at 44 to 46, 48 to 50, and 52 to 54 C, to study the effects of temperature on seminal quality and sexual behavior. The temperature of the artificial vagina had no significant effect on motility, gel volume, gel-free seminal volume, total seminal volume, pH, number of mounts per ejaculate, total time to ejaculation, or seminal temperature. Spermatozoa were collected, then exposed to water-bath temperatures of 38, 45, 49, or 53 C for 1 minute. Mean motility was similar after exposure to temperatures of 38 or 45 C, but exposure to temperature...
Bramlage LR, Gabel AA, Hackett RP.Five horses with avulsion fractures of the proximal origin of the suspensory ligament were examined for lameness. The horses in the series each had lameness of acute onset; four were severely lame, and one was moderately lame. The condition was difficult to diagnose because commonly used local anesthetic blocks did not result in improvement during the routine examination. Local infiltration of the area with local anesthetic returned the horses to soundness. After a period of rest, varying from a few weeks in the acute injury to 6 months in the chronic injuries, the horses were returned to raci...
Auer J.Degenerative joint disease is the most frequently diagnosed problem of the carpus. Horses afflicted with this disease should not be injected with corticosteroids, but should be rested for several months. Swimming exercise and intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid during this time help to restore the integrity of the involved joints. Chip fractures of the various carpal bones and the distal radius are commonly diagnosed as the cause of the lameness. Not all horses with carpal fractures are candidates for surgery. It is important that the severity of the problem be realized and that the ...
Arnbjerg J.After a short review of previous literature about fractures of the navicular bone in horses, the symptoms and the pathological-anatomical changes of the condition are described. The most important clinical symptom is acute severe lameness without significant swellings, but with pronounced pain reaction to rotation of the coffin joint. After rest the lameness is reduced considerably, but without treatment it can persist for several years. Adherences between the deep flexor tendon and the site of the fracture and eventual damage to the coffin joint are considered to be the cause of the persistin...
Swierstra EE, Gebauer MR, Pickett BW.The cycle of the seminiferous epithelium of the stallion was
divided into eight stages, using as criteria the presence of meiotic divi-
sions, shape of the spermatid nuclei and location of spermatids with
elongated nuclei in the tubule. The mean frequencies ofstages 1 to 8 were
16\m=.\9, 14\m=.\9, 3\m=.\2, 15\m=.\8, 7\m=.\4, 13\m=.\5, 12\m=.\6 and 15\m=.\7%, respectively. The
duration of one cycle of the seminiferous epithelium was 12\m=.\2 days
(S.E.\m=+-\0\m=.\1) as determined by injecting a single dose of 700 \g=m\Ciof
[3H]thymidine into each spermatic artery of six stallions and rem...
Yovich JV, Aanes WA.A fracture of the caudal portion of the greater tubercle of the humerus was diagnosed in a 16-month-old Thoroughbred filly. Initially the fracture caused severe lameness. Radiography of the affected shoulder revealed the fracture fragment to be extra-articular, with a surrounding bony callus and no evidence of joint disease. After 5 weeks rest in a stall and 11 months at pasture, the filly was trained and raced without lameness.
Schutten KJ.A 12-year-old Standardbred mare was diagnosed with a ruptured prepubic tendon 1 month prepartum. The mare was treated with analgesia, stall rest, and an abdominal support wrap that was tightened daily. Both a live foal born 1 month later and the mare are doing well. Poulinage réussi par une jument Standardbred ayant une rupture du tendon prépubien. Un mois avant la parturition, une rupture du tendon prépubien a été diagnostiquée chez une jument Standardbred âgée de 12 ans. La jument a été traitée à l’aide d’analgésiques, d’un repos en stalles et d’un pansement de soutien r...
Spurlock GH.Seemingly, propagation of a dorsal cortical fracture in the third metacarpal bone developed after continued race performance in 2 horses. Historically, both horses had intermittent lameness that had responded to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and brief rest periods. However, lameness in both horses had increased in severity. Radiography revealed a dorsal cortical fracture of the third metacarpal bone, with propagation of the fracture plane proximally. Fractures were incomplete and healed with stall rest in both horses.
Brockman T."Stringhalt" is a horse condition that causes one or both hind legs to spasm when walking, trotting or backing. The condition is thought to be related to a neurological cause from either plant toxicity or peripheral nerve injury. The prognosis is poor and the horse's performance and quality of life can be affected. Treatment has included surgically cutting the digital extensors with varied results. The objective of the study is to utilize soft tissue release via acupressure, trigger point and myofascial release to decrease symptoms of stringhalt. The case study is a 12 year old Akhal-Teke hors...
Johnson PJ, Allhands RV, Baker GJ, Boero MJ, Foreman JH, Hyyppa T, Huhn JC.Incomplete linear tibial fractures were identified in two horses with the aid of scintigraphy. Both horses were treated successfully by strict stall confinement, and both returned to normal athletic activity. Scintigraphy can be used to facilitate the generally difficult diagnosis of incomplete tibial fractures.
Hopen LA, Colahan PT, Turner TA, Nixon AJ.Subchondral cyst-like lesions of the cubital joint were diagnosed in 7 horses at the teaching hospital between 1983 and 1987. Diagnosis of the lesions was made by administration of intra-articular local anesthesia and/or radiographically. Initial treatment for all horses consisted of stall rest for 60 to 90 days. In addition, 2 horses were administered sodium hyaluronate intra-articularly, 1 horse was given injections of polysulfated glycosaminoglycans IM, and 1 horse was given phenylbutazone orally. Follow-up information was compiled 6 weeks to 4 years after initial examination. At the time o...
van Veen L, de Greef RJ.A non-displaced radialfracture of a horse was,diagnosed. The horse had an open fracture resulting from external trauma. A diagnosis was made on radiographs taken 48h after trauma. The horse was treated conservatively by box rest and Robert-Jones bandages. After 7 days the wound was opened to let the wound drainage necrotic material and small sequesters and was washed every other day. After 7 weeks, radiographs showed complete consolidation. Four months after the injury the horse was back to work at his former level and is still working two years after the incident.
Bowman KF, Sweeney CL, Tate LP.A medial condylar fracture of the third metatarsal bone in a 2-year-old Thoroughbred filly was repaired successfully by use of compression bone plating. At discharge from the hospital, thickening of the metatarsus was evident, and proliferative changes were associated with the site of bone plate application. It was expected that these changes would limit the filly's use as a racehorse, and a return to training was not recommended. Especially in horses that may return to racing, use of compression bone plating initially should not replace stall rest or lag screw fixation treatment of this type ...
Hart JC, Smith C, Mogg TD.A 12-day-old Standardbred filly foal was presented with an acute onset hindlimb lameness of 24 hours duration. Initial ultrasonographic evaluation of the right gluteal region revealed oedematous change to the muscle architecture. Conservative therapy consisting of antimicrobials and stall rest was initiated. Forty-eight hours after admission a localised gluteal pyomyositis had developed. This was drained twice by percutaneous aspiration. Four days after admission the foal was euthanased. Necropsy examination revealed a septic proximal femoral physis with no grossly apparent joint involvement.
Hillman RB, Olar TT, Squires EL, Pickett BW.Stallion semen was collected, using artificial vaginas at 44 to 46, 48 to 50, and 52 to 54 C, to study the effects of temperature on seminal quality and sexual behavior. The temperature of the artificial vagina had no significant effect on motility, gel volume, gel-free seminal volume, total seminal volume, pH, number of mounts per ejaculate, total time to ejaculation, or seminal temperature. Spermatozoa were collected, then exposed to water-bath temperatures of 38, 45, 49, or 53 C for 1 minute. Mean motility was similar after exposure to temperatures of 38 or 45 C, but exposure to temperature...